Project Natal

Apple today confirmed its widely rumored purchase of PrimeSense, the start-up company that made it possible for Microsoft to develop the motion-tracking technology behind the Kinect device for the blockbuster Xbox line of gaming consoles. The deal was reported by Calcalist to have been completed last week, but neither Apple nor PrimeSense would comment. Today's confirmation opens the floodgates to all manner of innovation for all of Apple's product lines.

With all those rumors floating around, it's good to finally get them to rest. On Monday, Microsoft officially announced that the motion-based controller, formerly known as Project Natal, and now known as Kinect, would be available in North America beginning on November 4th. So, not exactly that October launch date we had heard rumored about initially, but it's close enough. Plus, it's closer to Christmas, which is also a good thing.

As the Xbox LIVE network increases in customer support, Microsoft's constant battle is to figure out new ways to make things interesting, worthwhile, and probably most important: withstanding. As they draw in new customers, they need to keep the features coming, making sure that they all want to stick around. On Monday, at the first day of official press coverage of E3 2010, Microsoft displayed a lot of different things. One of the most noteworthy? ESPN and Microsoft have made an exclusive agreement to bring all the goodness of ESPN3 to Xbox LIVE subscribers.

With E3 2010 just a few days away, it's now time to consider what Sony, Nintendo, Microsoft, and all the major developers will be delivering. The show is the biggest gaming confab of the year, and it stands to reason that all the secrets that developers and hardware companies have been keeping over the past year (or more) will be unveiled. That's certainly the case in the past. E3 has been home to console announcements, additions to major franchises, and much, much more.

It was just today that we brought you a report from DigiTimes, that said according to sources, Microsoft wouldn't be kicking mass production of Project Natal up to full gear until 2011. They'll start shipping in August, sure, as the expected launch date is some time in October, but that original report suggested that a launch from Microsoft would be more of a "rolling launch," with markets being added to the roll-out as it progressed over the months. However, this new report from The Wall Street Journal turns that report on its head, and we're certainly confused.

Microsoft is promising to take the wraps off of their Project Natal motion gaming system for Xbox 360 at E3, but until then we've only rumors and leaks to tide us over. Latest is from the shadowy Taiwanese sources whispering to DigiTimes, who reckon that while Foxconn and Flextronics - Microsoft's hardware producing partners - will start shipping Natal in August, mass shipments aren't expected to kick off until 2011.

With E3 so close, and the official release date of the motion-controlled Project Natal almost confirmed, there shouldn't be a doubt in anyone's mind that Microsoft has indeed got some final builds of the new hardware running around. But, it's probably a surprise to everyone that it would just show up without any warning on the stage of D8 today. Consider us surprised.

Having gasped at leaked Scandinavian pricing for Project Natal, which worked out to roughly $200 for the motion-controller, new US-specific figures have emerged which are a little more palatable. According to Edge Online's "trusted source", Microsoft will release Project Natal in October 2010, priced at $149 in the US. It'll also be available as a bundle with the Xbox 360 Arcade, for $299.

Sony's placing a lot of hope in their upcoming motion controller, and considering the upcoming competition, that's probably a good idea. With E3 just around the corner, there's no doubt in anyone's mind that Sony's holding their tongue, at least in any official capacity, to make sure that they get to announce all the goodness on their own stage. That's not stopping video game outlets like BT Games from (possibly) ruining the whole surprise.

Last week a Saudi Microsoft marketing executive outted October as the launch date for the long anticipated Project Natal motion control system from Microsoft. I think most of us were hoping that the Project Natal system would come in at under $100.

Just in case you weren't aware, it's almost June. And, other than iPhone's getting released, that generally means that a huge trade show is going to take place. E3, the largest of video game-centric shows is about to kick off, and there's going to be a few huge announcements in store for the event. One of them that might slip through the gate, though, and merely show it's head afterward, is a rumored price drop for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Project Natal's "world premiere" may be this coming June, but the company is yet to officially confirm when exactly the movement-sensing hardware might actually reach the market. Happily that's all changed now, thanks to what seems to be an accidental announcement by Microsoft's marketing manager for Saudi Arabia, Syed Bilal Tariq; he told GamerTagRadio that Natal's release "is going to be somewhere in October".